Transfer of state-owned roads to counties

Developments today in that touchy topic of the state diverting to the counties some of its roads for future maintenance. At 3 o’clock in Columbia the Senate Finance Committee holds a meeting on S.523. The bill as now written, according to the South Carolina Association of Counties, would transfer any road within a county to that county. Counties would assume responsibility for the repair and maintenance of the roads to the DOT standards—unless the county and the DOT mutually agree to waive the standards. Each county would get $750 thousand for the maintenance and repair of the roads from a sales tax on vehicles. After the 3’clock meeting, a subcommittee will meet to talk about possible amendments to be taken up on the Senate floor.